U.S. Geological Survey map shows the location of the earthquake.
U.S. Geological Survey map shows the location of the earthquake.

A magnitude 3.6 earthquake rattled the East County desert and Imperial County on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The temblor was reported at 1:25 a.m.

The epicenter was  near the Imperial-San Diego county line, 6 miles north-northeast of Ocotillo Wells, or about 69 miles east-northeast of San Diego, according to the USGS.

The region near the Salton Sea, along the San Andreas fault and associated faults in Mexico, has also been subject to numerous minor quakes in recent months.

On Sept. 26, 2016, a “swarm” of nearly 300 small quakes ranging from magnitude-0.7 to magnitude-4.3 struck the southern portion of the inland sea.

A similar cluster of about 35 events hit just south of the Salton Sea on Oct. 31, 2016. The largest of those was a magnitude 3.5 temblor recorded near Niland, at the south end of the sea in the Imperial Valley.

— City News Service

Chris Jennewein is founder and senior editor of Times of San Diego.